Executive Director at International Budget Partnership

About International Budget Partnership

International Budget Partnership (IBP) is the world’s leading civil society organization advancing responsible, effective, and equitable management of public money. IBP works hand-in-hand with partners in 120 countries—from budget analysts and activists to women farmers and fisherfolk unions— to ensure everyone can understand, have a voice in, and influence how public money is raised and spent. IBP advances systemic solutions that improve lives and livelihoods and make democracy work for everyone, not a privileged few.

Since its founding in 1997, IBP has worked with a growing network of partners to equip groups and individuals with the essential knowledge and skills they need to actively participate in public budget processes and advocate for budgets that deliver for all, especially underserved communities. IBP and its partners have played a leading role in building a global movement to put the public in public budgeting.

Our collective efforts have led to a new international consensus supporting the public’s right to engage in budget processes. Together we have also guided significant improvements in open and accountable budgeting practices in a wide range of countries around the world.

IBP’s Open Budget Survey — the world’s only comparative, independent, and regular assessment of transparency, oversight and participation in national budgets in 120 countries—is regularly used by international institutions as a standards-setting tool and by civil society and governments to drive reforms. Over the past two years, IBP and its partners have helped 5.1 million people in seven countries access new or improved public services, secured increased budget allocations worth at least $351.5 million and won 37 major pro-equity policy changes in six focus countries. Follow this link to watch a short video about how open budgets are transforming the lives of excluded communities.

These impacts underscore how IBP operates at multiple levels, bridging the distance between citizens’ groups and the finance institutions they cannot easily access. That space — where citizens and institutions meet — is where sustainable change happens.

Vision and Mission

IBP believes in a world where:

•  People can claim their right to influence how public money – their money – is raised and spent.
•  Public budgets are decided through open meaningful deliberation including spaces for excluded communities to participate.
•  Public budgets reflect and advance efforts to reduce inequality and promote social justice.

To achieve this vision, IBP collaborates with civil society – as well as governments, international institutions, and most recently the private sector – to shape policies and practices that promote equity and justice.

More information about IBP can be found on our website and in our 2021 annual report .

Values

•  Transparency and Accountability
•  Collaboration
•  Integrity and Ethical Behaviour
•  Excellence
•  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
•  Democracy and Human Rights
•  Independence
•  Learning
•  Optimism
•  Justice and Equity

Commitment to DEI

As a global organization in composition and vision, IBP encourages a culture of empowerment and equity of our staff and our partners. We seek to dismantle all forms of exclusion and marginalization and embrace intersectionality – in our internal policies and practices, as well as programs.

Recognizing the dignity of our staff, partners and the communities we serve is central to our growth as an organization and the change we seek in the world. And we are committed to continue to make IBP more global, diverse and inclusive.

Role Purpose

The world faces critical governance challenges. Democracy and civic space are increasingly constrained, but there is also an important countertrend. A global cry for equity and voice from an increasingly broad set of civic actors and movements who are taking to the streets in widespread campaigns for justice. Many are motivated by unequal access to public resources, lack of public services, unequal tax burdens and rising costs; problems that resonate across IBP’s core values and aims. Equitable and accountable budgets are central to breaking systemic exclusion of marginalized communities and ensuring governments respond to the needs of all people they serve. This is a moment to ‘think big’ and aim for transformation at scale. IBP is poised to contribute to and even lead this change as a truly global organization focused on systemic reforms that build power and open spaces for excluded communities to have a say.

To meet these opportunities, IBP is evolving. The organization is now firmly rooted in offices in the Global North and South, and the composition and geographical location of our staff and board have changed to reflect where the organization works. IBP has bolstered its partnerships with powerful social and community movements and has evolved the research and data used to drive action, working in deep partnership with local leaders and actors in countries around the world. This is an exciting moment for a new Executive Director (ED) with the vision and courage to build on this work and to integrate the organization’s traditional comparative advantage into the next transformative strategy.

As Executive Director you will head the world’s leading civil society group advancing just and equitable public budgets. You will join and galvanize a global movement that calls for accountability and improved use of public resources. You will energize and inspire a highly skilled global team to deepen the critical work that IBP carries out and demonstrate IBP’s values in collaborative leadership. You will have vision and the ability to execute that vision, moving between strategic and tactical, working at global and local levels. In this role, you will have the opportunity to evolve IBP’s role as a pioneer in the field of public finance and drive transformative change that contributes to the eradication of extreme poverty and injustice globally.

Competencies

Competencies here describe the knowledge, abilities, skills, and behaviors that will make the Executive Director successful in the role.

•  Visionary: The Executive Director will have a clear and compelling vision for how best to position the organization to leverage its unique expertise in budget advocacy to advance development and democracy. They are passionate about the power of budgets to drive systemic change by building civic power globally. They are excited about IBP’s work to advance equity and are highly skilled at articulating the organization’s vision and rallying supporters around it, both internally and externally.
•  Strategic: The Executive Director will be a thoughtful leader that listens deeply and leverages learning to lead and adapt IBP’s strategy. They will guide the organization in crafting its next strategy that builds on what and where the organization is best poised to drive concrete impacts in people’s lives. They will bring an action-oriented and forward-looking interpretation of the mission that connects its local, national and global work.
•  Innovative: The Executive Director will bring an innovative, entrepreneurial spirit to re-invigorate a pioneering organization. They will support, uplift and foster cross-organizational sharing of innovative practices internally and among partners to maximize impact. They will deeply understand IBP’s history and tactics but also be open to new and impactful ways to achieve social justice.
•  Effective communication: As IBP’s lead ambassador and story teller, the Executive Director will be a highly effective and persuasive communicator who can generate excitement for the organization’s mission and its potential to drive transformative change at scale. They will be innately comfortable interacting with IBP’s diverse audiences– from donors, prospective donors, international institutions and foreign governments to budget advocates and grassroots communities.
•  Collaborative leadership: As a leader within the organization the Executive Director will lead inclusively and collaboratively, inspiring and motivating IBP’s diverse staff to leverage and grow their strengths. They will lead and live the organization’s values and culture through action, communication, creativity and conviction. The Executive Director sets the tone for a management culture of transparency and inclusion by maintaining open, honest, and regular channels of communication with and across IBP’s dispersed global team.
•  Strong relationships: IBP is fortunate to partner with some of the world’s most powerful social justice, women’s rights and racial equity movements, coalitions and think tanks. The Executive Director will continue to nurture and strengthen these relationships, and develop new partnerships to advance shared goals.

Responsibilities

•  Strategic Leadership: Set a clear direction and compelling narrative for the organization that moves it meaningfully towards the realization of its vision.
•  Develop and strengthen networks: Consolidate IBP’s wide networks and build bridges between IBP and new key players in the space, including deep respectful partnerships with country-based organizations to drive action.
•  Resource Mobilization: Working with the development team, lead and support a sustainable resource mobilization strategy with new and existing funders, including private foundations, bilateral donor agencies, individual philanthropists & donor collaboratives.
•  Governance: Act as a key decision-maker within the organization, leading the Executive Team and working collaboratively with the Board of Directors.
•  Internal Organizational Management: Work inclusively to lead, coach, develop, and retain a high-performance Executive team and staff.

Qualifications & Experience

Education: Advanced degree in social or political science, public policy or similar.

Experience:

•  Experience managing complex organizations and dispersed, multicultural teams.
•  Understanding of governance and accountability required. Budgetary reform and public financial management experience preferred.
•  History and experience working with IBP’s key stakeholder groups, including civil society organisations, donors, and governments.
•  Understanding of or experience in gender, human rights and public sector reform.
•  Lived experience or extensive experience working on the Global South required, especially Africa, South and South-East Asia, and Latin America.
•  Proven resource development track record and leadership in fundraising.

Language: English fluency (written and spoken) required. Fluency in one or more other major languages preferred.

Terms of Appointment

This is a full-time position. Specific terms of appointment may be dependent on location. Salary is about USD $200,000 per annum plus benefits. IBP benefits include a generous paid leave program* and robust health benefits plans that allow our employees to care for themselves and support their families. Exact details of health coverage will vary by country.

*15 days of vacation plus 2 weeks of paid leave for IBP office closings (first full week of August and the week between December 25 and New Year’s Day); 8 additional holidays; and sick leave up to 20 days per year (or as required by local law).

Location: Multiple Locations

The candidate is expected to work in a similar time zone to one of IBP’s office locations: Abuja, Nigeria; Cape Town, South Africa; Dakar, Senegal; Johannesburg, South Africa; Washington DC, USA. While they may primarily work from home, in-person collaboration with local offices will be expected as will travel (estimated at 15-20%) to other IBP offices and to meet with partners and donors globally.

How to Apply

If you wish to be considered for this position, please send the most recent English version of your CV to [email protected] on or before 7 September, 2022 . All information will be treated in the strictest confidence as we pride ourselves on our professional service.

SRI Executive is exclusively retained by IBP to undertake this assignment

APPLY NOW